Heated processor

[Eduardo Robles Elvira]

El Domingo 05 Junio 2005 12:09, Alain Muls escribió:
> Hi,
>
> I switch from SuSE to Ubuntu a couple of weeks ago. Almost everything
> works as good or better, but I have a couple of issues still open:

Hey, another "ex-SuSEr" like me that went to kubuntu ;-)

> 1. I do a lot of compiling C++/Java code and the processor heats up,
> causing the PC to just stop working after having received a message
> about the temperature. I have a DELL Inspiron 5100. How do I set up a
> powersaving that would reduce the speed of the processor when not doing
> something intensive?

My kubuntu laptop is also a Dell Inspiron 4150, and I've also had that kind of 
heating problems. My father was the one who used this computer before, and he 
told me that it never happened to him in Windows. I don't have Windows 
installed anymore, but I belive that there's a problem with Dell Inspiron (w/ 
Pentium 4 Mobile) and Linux. When CPU reaches 69ºC, the BIOS automatically 
set CPU throttling to T6 and I end up having a CPU at ~400 Mhz.. and the only 
way to return to a sane state is to halt and then start the computer again 
(reboot doesn't do the trick).

I've been tunning my PC using some tricks so that it doesn't heat:
1º) I installed and configured i8kmon, that sets CPU fan speed depeding on CPU 
temperature.
2º) I created the bash script sysperf [1] (SYStem PERFormer). For now it has 
just one module, throttling, which sets CPU throttling automatically depeding 
on CPU temperature (T0, T1, ..., T6).
3º) When I hear an Audio CD, I execute "eject -x 1 /dev/cdrom" so that it 
lowers the cd speed.

I still have problems playing video in the laptop, it just doesn't play 
smoothly.

Oh it seems that I've never mentioned sysperf in this list before :-). It 
comes with instructions and needed information in the README, and was 
developed in Kubuntu and a Dell Inspiron similar to yours (I belive), so you 
shouldn't have any problem. 
I can tell you that I've tested system performer and under heavy load it just 
works well to me. You could need to tweak the configuration file a bit.. if 
you do so send it to me. Any comments from anyone about this approach are 
welcomed ;-).

Cheers,
    Edulix.

--
[1] http://developer.berlios.de/projects/sysperf